Shoe Dog A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

In this Founders podcast episode, the host and guests delve into the origin story of Nike through the lens of Phil Knight's autobiography, "Shoe Dog." The narrative follows Knight's journey from a 24-year-old with a "crazy idea" to revolutionize the running shoe industry, to the co-founding of Nike with his former track coach, Bill Bowerman. The episode highlights Knight's deep belief in running and his innovative sales strategy that propelled his Japanese running shoes into the American market. Emphasizing the significance of belief in one's product, the host also recounts Knight's partnership with Bowerman, whose contributions and eccentric personality were instrumental to Nike's success. The episode underscores the importance of perseverance, the embrace of crazy ideas, and the impact of biographies in learning from the experiences of others.

• Founders Podcast offers full-length episodes featuring the biographies of entrepreneurs.
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"If you're hearing this, you haven't yet upgraded to the misfit feed, and you're only hearing partial episodes of Founders." "Episode, there's over 150 full-length episodes right now. You can unlock them immediately by tapping." "In the podcast that I'm creating every." "Week based on the biographies of entrepreneurs." "That, I'm re-releasing founders, the first half."

These quotes introduce the Founders Podcast and its premium misfit feed, highlighting the extensive content available to subscribers.

• Episode #10 of Founders is based on the autobiography of Nike's founder, Phil Knight.
• The episode is considered one of the best by the podcast creator due to its opening.
• Phil Knight's early life, struggles, and the inception of his "crazy idea" that became Nike are central to the episode.

"Of founders number ten, which is based." "On one of my favorite books that." "I've ever read, which is the autobiography." "Of the founder of Nike."

This quote specifies the subject of Founders Episode #10 and its significance to the podcast creator.

• Phil Knight reflects on his life at 24, feeling lost and confused despite his accomplishments.
• He grapples with the definition of success and his personal aspirations beyond societal expectations.
• Knight experiences an existential crisis, questioning his adult identity and future.

"You get to experience a 24 year." "Old Phil Knight this point of his life. He's lost." "He's confused." "He doesn't know what to do. But we get to experience his inner monologue as he tries to convince himself." "To go after his crazy idea."

This excerpt highlights the focus on Phil Knight's internal struggle during his early 20s, as portrayed in the podcast episode.

• Phil Knight describes a transformative morning run in 1962, after returning home from college and the army.
• He contemplates the pioneer spirit and his own desire for a meaningful, purposeful, and different life.
• Knight's internal monologue reveals his yearning for happiness and the essence of beauty through play and competition.

"That foggy morning, that momentous morning in 1962." "I had an aching sense that our time is short, shorter than we ever know, short as a morning run." "Play. Yes, I thought, that's it. That's the word."

These quotes capture the pivotal moment on a morning run where Phil Knight's vision for his future begins to take shape.

• Knight acknowledges his limitations as an athlete but seeks to capture the essence of athletic experience in his life.
• He considers the possibility of making work enjoyable through a "prodigious, improbable dream."
• Knight's determination to pursue his idea, despite doubts, is a central theme.

"Maybe the only answer, I thought, was to find some prodigious, improbable dream that seemed worthy, that seemed fun, that seemed a good fit, and chase it with an athlete's single-minded dedication and purpose." "Which led, as always, to my crazy idea."

These quotes reflect Phil Knight's thought process in seeking a way to integrate his passion for athletics into a broader life purpose.

• Phil Knight believes the world and history are shaped by crazy ideas.
• He resolves to pursue his idea without concern for others' opinions or a clear end goal.
• Knight's philosophy emphasizes perseverance and the importance of embracing unconventional ideas.

"History is one long processional of crazy ideas." "So that morning in 1962, I told myself, let everyone else call your idea crazy. Just keep going. Don't stop. Don't even think about stopping until you get there."

These quotes encapsulate Phil Knight's mindset of committing to his vision and the broader message that innovative ideas often start as "crazy" notions before gaining acceptance and success.

• "Shoe Dog" is a New York Times bestseller and memoir by Phil Knight, the creator of Nike.
• The book is a reflection of Phil Knight's journey from a crazy idea in college to the creation of a global brand.
• The memoir includes themes of entrepreneurship, passion, and the pursuit of dreams.

This episode I want to talk to you about the New York Times bestseller. Shoe Dog and memoir by the creator of Nike, Phil Knight.

The quote introduces "Shoe Dog" as a significant work worth discussing, setting the stage for an exploration of its themes and Phil Knight's story.

• Phil Knight's idea for Japanese running shoes was sparked by a research paper during his final classes in a seminar on entrepreneurship.
• His paper evolved from a typical assignment into an obsession, driven by his knowledge as a runner and a business buff.
• Knight drew parallels between the Japanese cameras' impact on the market and the potential for Japanese running shoes to disrupt the European-dominated market.
• Despite his classmates' lack of interest, Knight's professor recognized the merit in his idea, awarding him an A.

It was one of my final classes, a seminar on entrepreneurship. I'd written a research paper about shoes, and the paper had evolved from a run of the mill assignment to an all out obsession. The professor thought my crazy idea had merit. He gave me an A.

These quotes highlight the origin of Knight's business idea and the academic validation he received, despite his peers' indifference.

• Knight's plan was to import inexpensive Japanese shoes to compete with European brands.
• He experienced existential questions about his future, common to many young adults.
• Before embarking on his adult life, Knight decided to travel the world.
• He planned to visit Japan during his travels to explore the possibility of striking a deal with shoe factories.

Idea, he's saying, hey, why don't I try to import inexpensive Japanese shoes and compete with the European brands that are currently dominating the market.

The quote encapsulates Knight's business proposition and his broader life plan, combining travel with entrepreneurial exploration.

• Knight wanted a companion for his world trip and chose his Stanford classmate, Carter.
• Carter was not a typical jock; he was intellectual, a good listener, and an ideal travel partner.
• Initially laughing at Knight's ambitious travel itinerary, Carter eventually expressed enthusiasm and agreed to join.
• Knight recognized that Carter's decisiveness and approach to opportunities were traits he could learn from.

Long before approaching my father, I decided it would be good to have a companion on my trip. And that companion should be my Stanford classmate, Carter.

This quote introduces Carter as an important figure in Knight's journey, highlighting the value of having a supportive and like-minded travel companion.

• Knight's plan to travel the world was uncommon in 1962, as 90% of Americans had never been on an airplane.
• His family viewed his travel ambitions as crazy and dangerous.
• Knight and Carter's first stop was in Hawaii, where they settled for several months, taking various jobs.

But he makes the point that in 1962, 90% of Americans at the time had never even been on an airplane.

The quote provides context for the era's travel norms, illustrating the unconventional nature of Knight's global journey.

• Knight and Carter enjoyed their time in Hawaii, but Knight felt restless and knew it was time to resume their original plan.
• Carter, having met a girl, was hesitant to leave, causing Knight to consider returning home or continuing alone.
• Knight ultimately decided to continue his travels alone, leaving Carter in Hawaii and flying to Tokyo to pursue his business idea.

The last thing I wanted was to pack up and return to Oregon. But I couldn't see traveling around the world alone, either. Go home, a faint inner voice told me. Get a normal job. Be a normal person. Then I heard another faint voice, equally emphatic. No, don't go home. Keep going.

This quote reflects Knight's internal conflict and his resolve to persist with his plans despite challenges and the departure of his companion.

• In Tokyo, Knight successfully set up meetings with shoe factories.
• He pitched his idea of importing their shoes to sell in the United States.
• Knight struck a deal for the "Tiger" shoe brand and continued his world tour, which is detailed in the book.

He gets to Tokyo, and he sets up a bunch of appointments with different factories, shoe factories, and he pitches them on his idea to import the shoes they're manufacturing and their brand and being a distributor and selling them on the west coast of the United States.

The quote summarizes Knight's proactive efforts in Japan to establish business connections, leading to his first major deal.

• Phil Knight acknowledges two individuals as instrumental to Nike's success, aside from himself.
• The first is Nike's co-founder, Bill Bowerman, Knight's former track coach at the University of Oregon.
• Bowerman was a visionary coach who deeply influenced Knight's thoughts on athletic footwear.

There'S two people that I think are instrumental to the success of what becomes Nike outside of Phil Knight.

This quote introduces the significance of other contributors to Nike's success story, setting the stage for discussing Bill Bowerman's role.

• Farabin's obsession with perfecting athletic footwear for his runners.
• He would steal, dissect, and modify shoes, aiming for improvements in performance.
• Farabin's belief in the importance of lightness in shoes, equating weight reduction to decreased energy expenditure.

"He'd spend days tearing them apart, stitching them back up, then hand them back with some minor modification, which made us either run like deer or bleed."

This quote illustrates Farabin's relentless experimentation with modifying shoes to enhance running performance, regardless of the immediate outcomes.

"1oz sliced off a pair of shoes, he said, is the equivalent to 55 pounds over 1 mile."

This quote highlights Farabin's calculation and rationale behind his obsession with making lighter shoes to improve running efficiency and speed.

• Bauerman's profound and enduring impact on Phil.
• The lifelong relationship between Bauerman and Phil.
• Phil's deep-seated desire to earn Bauerman's approval.

"It's possible that everything I did in those days was motivated by some deep yearning to impress, to please Bauerman."

This quote reflects Phil's strong desire to gain recognition and approval from Bauerman, which was a significant motivator for his actions.

• Bauerman's frugality and sparing use of praise.
• The comparison of Bauerman's and Phil's father's personalities and their influence on Phil.
• Bauerman's family history and his connection to the town of Fossil, Oregon.
• Bauerman's self-perception as a "professor of competitive responses" rather than a track coach.

"Bauerman never considered himself a track coach. He detested being called coach."

This quote emphasizes Bauerman's unique self-identity and his broader perspective on his role in preparing athletes for life's challenges beyond sports.

• Phil's comparison of business to running and sport.
• The metaphor of business as war without bullets.
• Bauerman's philosophy of preparing athletes for future struggles and competitions.

"Bauerman thought of his job not only to get his runners as fast as possible, but to prepare them for struggles and competitions that lay ahead after they're done running."

This quote connects Bauerman's coaching philosophy to Phil's later views on business, implying that the lessons from sports are applicable to business and life's challenges.

• The austere and primitive training facilities at Oregon.
• The perception of Bauerman as a general or deity by his athletes.
• The discipline and unquestioning obedience expected from Bauerman's runners.

"We saw our coach as a general, to be obeyed quickly and blindly. In my mind, he was patent with a stopwatch."

This quote conveys the reverence and strict discipline Bauerman commanded from his athletes, likening him to a military leader.

• Bauerman's remote ranch and his reputation for being vengeful.
• An anecdote demonstrating Bauerman's extreme measures to protect his property.
• The fear and caution Phil felt around Bauerman.

"A man like that, you didn't want to get on his wrong side."

This quote encapsulates the intimidating aura surrounding Bauerman and the caution athletes, including Phil, exercised in his presence.

• Bauerman's unorthodox strategies and emphasis on rest and recovery.
• His demanding training methods and seemingly impossible running strategies.
• Bauerman's success in coaching sub-four-minute milers.

"Bauerman's strategy for running the mile was simple. Set a fast pace for the first two laps, run the third as hard as you can, then triple your speed on the fourth."

This quote describes Bauerman's counterintuitive but effective approach to coaching runners, which led to exceptional results.

• Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman partnered to establish Nike, with Phil owning the majority stake.
• Bowerman's innovations were crucial to Nike's success, such as the development of the waffle iron running shoe.
• Bowerman was a successful running coach and coached at the Olympics multiple times.
• The partnership with Bowerman was a significant factor in Nike's eventual success.

Bauerman says, hey, why don't you let me in on this deal, and they go in as partners with Phil owning 51% of the company, and Bauerman is 49. So I'm not going to cover Bauerman's.

This quote explains the initial partnership agreement between Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman in founding Nike, highlighting the ownership split and setting the stage for the company's future.

He had made innovation after innovation, even after he stopped coaching, and he was extremely successful running coach. He coached the Olympics, I think, two or three times.

This quote underscores Bowerman's continuous contribution to Nike's innovation and his prestigious background as an Olympic running coach, which lent credibility to the brand.

• Phil Knight faced skepticism and criticism from his father for selling shoes from his trunk and out of his parents' house.
• His father viewed his shoe-selling endeavor as undignified and not a respectable profession.
• Despite the criticism, Phil's mother supported him by buying a pair of his shoes, demonstrating familial support amidst skepticism.

He's selling them out of his trunk at these track meets and out of his parents'house. But his dad doesn't like this.

This quote highlights the humble beginnings of Nike and the initial disapproval from Phil Knight's father, who did not see the potential in his son's business venture.

So his dad is accusing him of jackass, and then this is, I wrote in the note, a mother's love.

The quote reveals the father's derogatory view of Phil's early business efforts, contrasted with a note about his mother's supportive gesture, which is a pivotal moment of encouragement for Phil.

• Running was not widely accepted as a sport in the early 1960s, and runners faced ridicule and harassment.
• Nike's emergence coincided with the rise of running as an accepted form of fitness and a global sport.
• Phil Knight's story illustrates the dramatic cultural shift toward running and Nike's role in that transformation.

And in fact, part of the book talks about how running wasn't even really considered a sport.

This quote provides context for the cultural environment in which Nike was founded, emphasizing the lack of recognition for running as a legitimate sport during that era.

So it's not like how it is today where very much an accepted part of fitness and a global sport.

The quote contrasts the past and present status of running, highlighting the significant change in public perception and acceptance of the sport, partly due to Nike's influence.

• Phil Knight's sales strategy involved personally visiting track meets and engaging with the running community.
• His genuine belief in running and the quality of his shoes resonated with customers and led to rapid sales growth.
• Knight's passion for running was integral to his sales success, as customers were drawn to his authenticity and belief in the product.

My sales strategy was simple and, I thought, rather brilliant.

This quote introduces Phil Knight's direct and personal approach to selling Nike shoes, which proved to be highly effective.

Belief, I decided belief is irresistible.

The quote captures the essence of Phil Knight's sales success: his conviction in the value of running and his product was infectious, leading to a strong customer response.

• Reading biographies provides valuable insights into the experiences and lessons learned by successful individuals.
• Entrepreneurs like Toby Lutke and Marc Andreessen emphasize the benefits of learning from others' histories.
• Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett are avid readers of biographies, which they believe contribute to their understanding of business and personal success.

Books are the closest you will ever come to finding cheat codes for real life.

This quote from Toby Lutke underscores the value of reading biographies as a way to quickly gain wisdom from others' experiences, likening it to finding "cheat codes" for life.

Reading personal biographies allows one to experience multiple lives and successes and failures.

The quote from the book "The Tao of Charlie Munger" emphasizes the breadth of experiences and lessons that can be learned from biographies, as highlighted by Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett's reading habits.